Climate Today: Mining, UN Discovers UHI, Climahypocrite Billie Eilish

The Trump admin has “sparked outrage”

White House sparks outrage after fast-tracking controversial ocean project: ‘Like lighting a match in a room full of dynamite’

The White House released a statement in late April announcing an executive order to fast-track deep-sea mining for minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and titanium. The directive aims to reduce reliance on imported resources. But scientists warn that it could open the door to irreversible damage in fragile ocean ecosystems, as Mongabay noted.

This new order focuses on polymetallic nodules, which are mineral-filled lumps found on the ocean floor. The White House’s statement pinpoints “strengthening partnerships with allies and industry to counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources” as a primary driver of the order.

The executive order directs federal agencies to take numerous actions within 60 days, such as creating a process to grant exploration and mining permits and finding organizations interested in processing mined materials.

Obviously, this has made the Trump haters, Warmists, and eco-nuts outraged, but, um, where in the fuck do they think all the metals for all the EVs and “green” stuff is supposed to come from? Or, are they just cool with all the precious metals being mined by children in African nations?

Just to be clear, as a true environmentalist, I’m leery of this mining, and want it to be done very safely.

Urban temps turning cities into ‘ovens,’ UN Chief Heat Officer warns

Whether in Miami, Athens, or Santiago, dedicated ambassadors are stepping up to tackle extreme urban heat around the world.

Eleni Myrivili, one of the field’s pioneers who currently serves as the Global Chief Heat Officer for UN-Habitat, spoke to AFP about the urgent need to redesign cities to keep asphalt-riddled areas from turning into impossible-to-escape “ovens” for the most vulnerable populations.

Really, this whole piece about Doom is the Urban Heat Island effect. All the paving and buildings, and, yes, vehicles putting out smog which traps heat at a very low level. It’s why cities are, for one thing, much warmer at night than the surrounding countryside: the heat doesn’t radiate at night. It has nothing to do with anthropogenic global warming. Of course, UHI is also an excuse to fearmonger about ‘climate change’ and control citizens.

Billie Eilish is Bringing Back This Early 2000s-Favorite Sneaker

Billie Eilish has been embracing Y2K style for a while now. From her signature oversized t-shirts to wearing those loose, baggy pants known as culottes, along with her affinity for plaid, she’s leaned fully into the early 2000s aesthetic. She took her love for the era to a whole new level this week when she put on a pair of skater shoes that only an eagle-eyed millennial will recognize.

While attending the climate change summit, OVERHEATED in Berlin at Festsaal Kreuzberg — presented by Billie Eilish and Support+Feed — Eilish stepped onto stage on Friday, May 9, with a team of activists to discuss how people can band together and take action against the climate crisis.

Eilish used the opportunity to support the cause while also wearing a beloved skater sneaker that once had a hold on millennial teens everywhere. The Grammy winner wore an oversized plaid, zip-up sweatshirt with basketball shorts and a pair of all-black Etnies. The signature sideways “E” on the side of the black shoe stood out as Eilish walked onto stage, sending us back to the days when Etnies were worn by the masses.

She took a long, fossil fueled trip to Berlin to whine about ‘climate change’, and, at the same time, pimp the shoes, which would cause the same type of mass consumerism Billie and other Warmists complain about.

Read: Climate Today: Mining, UN Discovers UHI, Climahypocrite Billie Eilish »

If All You See…

…is an ocean that will soon rise and swamp the land, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Evil Blogger Lady, with a post on Robin Hood and linkage.

Read: If All You See… »

AOC, Jeffries Try To Get Big And Bad About Democrats Getting Arrested

If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime, Sparkys

Jeffries warns admin against arresting Dems: ‘Clear lines that they just dare not cross’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday hammered the Trump administration for threatening to arrest Democratic members of Congress, saying such a move would constitute a clear case of executive overreach.

“It’s a red line,” Jeffries told reporters in the Capitol. “They know better than to go down that road.”

On Tuesday, he took that message up a notch, characterizing McLaughlin as “a joke” while warning that Democrats won’t be cowed by Trump’s threats, especially as the president’s approval ratings have fallen well under water.

“We’re not going to be intimidated by their tactics to try to force principled opposition from not standing up to their extremism,” Jeffries said.

And

Ocasio-Cortez Warns: Trump Admin Will Have a ‘Problem’ if More Democrats Arrested

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has warned the Trump administration that they will be in for a “problem” if they arrest any more Democrats.

The congresswoman issued her warning in an Instagram video posted on Sunday in response to the recent arrests of three Democrat New Jersey members of the House — Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver — during a visit to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. AOC accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of “public intimidation.”

“If anyone’s breaking the law in this situation, it’s not members of Congress, it’s the Department of Homeland Security,” she said. “It’s people like Tom Homan and Secretary Kristi Noem.”

“You lay a finger on someone, on Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman … or any of the representatives that were there, you lay a finger on them, we are going to have a problem,” she added. “Because the people who are breaking the law are the people not abiding by it.”

But, there’s something interesting happening: there are no responses from Trump, Homan, Noem, or anyone else in the administration. At one time you would have expected a social media response from Trump. He doesn’t do that anymore. Jeffries and AOC want to get all big and bad and……crickets. Because they aren’t worth the time for the Trump admin. You can bet that if a Democrat breaks the law they will be arrested, and people like AOC and Jeffries can gnash their teeth all they want. It’s not going stop if Democrats break the law.

But, hey, if Democrats want to die on the hill of protecting illegals who are murderers, rapists, and child abusers, it’s not going to go well.

Read: AOC, Jeffries Try To Get Big And Bad About Democrats Getting Arrested »

ClimaLawfare: Dutch Cultists Sue To Stop Shell Oil From New Oil And Gas Fields

So, I guess the Netherlands will have to go back to purchasing natural gas from Russia again if the Warmists win

Dutch Environmental Group Launches New Climate Case Against Shell to Stop All Investment in New Oil and Gas Fields

The Dutch NGO that won a historic court verdict in 2021 in a pioneering climate lawsuit against the oil major Shell announced on Tuesday that it is launching a new case against the company, with the core demand that Shell immediately stop investing in any new oil and gas fields.

“At a time in which the climate crisis continues to rage on because of the actions of companies such as Shell, every new oil or gas field is simply one too many. This is why we are once again taking our case to court,” Donald Pols, director of the Amsterdam-based organization Milieudefensie (Friends of the Netherlands), said in a statement.

In a letter addressed to Shell CEO Wael Sawan and its board chair Andrew Mackenzie, Milieudefensie says it believes that Shell is in breach of its duty of care obligation under Dutch law, due to the company’s “continued investment in new oil and gas fields and its inadequate climate policy for the period 2030 to 2050.”

The environmental organization argues that Shell has failed to change course to align its business activities with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, despite court decisions finding that the company has a legal responsibility to abide by the accord and reduce its entire supply chain emissions. Milieudefensie says it therefore has “no other option” but to take Shell to court once again.

So, where will the petroleum and natural gas come from to power the Netherlands? All the cars, boats, trucks, oh, all those airplanes and helicopters. There are quite a few airports, including their military ones. Too bad Shell won’t just go and pull their operations from the Netherlands. Or, at least refuse to sell to the government.

Read: ClimaLawfare: Dutch Cultists Sue To Stop Shell Oil From New Oil And Gas Fields »

Judge Who Helped Illegal Criminal Escape Indicted By Grand Jury

There are consequences for actions, and, really, if the judge is found guilty, she should not only get the maximum but receive an enhancement because she’s a judge and does know better

Wisconsin judge indicted in immigration case

A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a Wisconsin judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, allowing the case against her to continue.

The arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan escalated a clash between President Donald Trump’s administration and local authorities over the Republican’s sweeping immigration crackdown. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to make a national example of Dugan to chill judicial opposition to the crackdown.

That’s where Politico, and other Credentialed Media outlets, goes? Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was in court for assaulting people, including women.

Prosecutors charged Dugan in April via complaint with concealing an individual to prevent arrest and obstruction. In the federal criminal justice system, prosecutors can initiate charges against a defendant directly by filing a complaint or present evidence to a grand jury and let that body decide whether to issue charges.

A grand jury still reviews charges brought by complaint to determine whether enough probable cause exists to continue the case as a check on prosecutors’ power. If the grand jury determines there’s probable cause, it issues a written statement of the charges known as an indictment. That’s what happened in Dugan’s case.

Dugan faces up to six years in prison if she’s convicted on both counts. Her team of defense attorneys responded to the indictment with a one-sentence statement saying that she maintains her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court. She was scheduled to enter a plea on Thursday.

Well, I wouldn’t expect her defense team to say anything different, but, it’s a pretty slam dunk case for the prosecution. There are plenty of witness, and, was caught doing it. But, hey, if the Trump admin wanted a national example, Dugan walked right into it by breaking multiple laws

Read: Judge Who Helped Illegal Criminal Escape Indicted By Grand Jury »

Pentagon Reportedly Ending All Gender Wacko Transition Procedures Immediately

I’m not sure why the U.S. military was providing drugs and medical procedures for members in the first place. They didn’t pay for all those 18 year olds to get tattoos of the strippers they married or the car they made a bad decision on, did they? Would the military pay for that leg lengthening procedure? How about for Botox and elective cosmetic surgery for those who were not injured in the line of duty?

Report: Pentagon ‘Immediately’ Halting Gender Transition Procedures for Transgender Troops

The Pentagon is reportedly barring gender transition treatments for so-called “transgender troops,” the news coming after former President Joe Biden (D) allowed such procedures.

According to Reuters, a memo from Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Stephen Ferrara said, “I am directing you to take the necessary steps to immediately implement this guidance,” the outlet reported Monday.

Defense Department officials are apparently halting new hormone treatments and surgical procedures for those individuals.

The outlet also noted that “Trump signed an executive order in January, after returning to the presidency, that reversed a policy implemented under his predecessor Joe Biden that had allowed transgender troops to serve openly.”

It’s not up the US military, meaning the taxpayers, to pay for the surgeries. They could make a case that instead of college tuition the military could provide so much once they get out, but, they’re joining to apparently get the medical treatments, which means they are not doing their jobs. Would someone who hurt their spine as a civilian be allowed to join to have the military pay for the surgeries and rehab? Obviously, no.

Going to that Reuters article

Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights said that the abrupt termination of healthcare was “needlessly disrespectful and cruel.”

“It is shameful that our nation’s military would treat any service member this way,” Minter said.

One transgender service member, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted, called the decision “the latest slap in the face” to troops serving honorably.

Are they serving honorably? They’re living a lie, transgenders have a much higher rate of mental illness and suicidal thoughts (just who you want around military grade weapons, right?), and spend their time unable to do the job. They can go be civilians and pay for their own procedures. Mutilating your body is not healthcare.

“If there was any doubt left, there is not anymore: transgender service members are no longer entitled to the same standard of medical care as their peers,” the service member said.

They can get the same. What they want is more.

Re-posting an article that said the Pentagon would resume treatments for transgender troops, Hegseth said: “If this is true – we will find any way possible to stop it.”

“Taxpayers should NEVER pay for this lunacy,” Hegseth added.

They shouldn’t. And no one seems to be making a rational argument as to why the taxpayers should foot the bill.

Read: Pentagon Reportedly Ending All Gender Wacko Transition Procedures Immediately »

If All You See…

…is terrible Bad Weather rain causing flooding because Other People drove fossil fueled vehicles, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is A View From The Beach, with a post on Tuesday tanlines.

Read: If All You See… »

EPA Looks To Get Auto-Engine Idle Feature Out Of Vehicles

Well, this would be a big conundrum for the Trump haters: do they support ditching auto-engine idle/start-stop because every single one of them hate the feature, or oppose because Orange Man Bad?

EPA takes aim at start-stop systems in cars, calls feature a ‘climate participation trophy’

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to roll back federal incentives for automatic start-stop technology in new vehicles.

EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced the move Monday on social media, calling start-stop systems a “climate participation trophy” that most drivers dislike.

“EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,” Zeldin posted on the social media platform X.

The system automatically shuts off a vehicle’s engine when it comes to a complete stop—like at a red light or in traffic—and restarts when the driver lifts their foot off the brake or taps the accelerator.

While not required by law, the feature became widespread due to fuel economy credits granted under federal emissions rules. Start-stop systems are considered an “off-cycle” emissions-reduction technology, meaning they provide benefits not measured during standard testing procedures.

The incentive was created more than a decade ago as part of federal emissions and fuel economy standards, which aimed to reward automakers for adding technologies that cut pollution in ways not captured by traditional testing. Start-stop systems are one of several features that qualify.

Two things: first, the engines aren’t shutting off on every vehicle, some just go into an idle, especially those which are more fuel efficient. Second, they are really put in vehicles to avoid fines and fees from certain Blue states, as increasing the the fuel economy a tiny bit on each vehicle helps across the entire line. That came directly from a high level suit who works for a car manufacturer. Heck, they’d remove the moonroofs if they could. The extra weight and slight air flow change reduces MPG just a little bit.

Supporters say the technology can reduce fuel consumption in city driving and lower greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Battery Council International, start-stop systems helped eliminate nearly 10 million tons of emissions in 2023 alone.

Tests by the Society of Automotive Engineers show the feature can improve fuel economy by 7% to 26% in stop-and-go traffic. However, the benefits are minimal for highway driving.

And the minute the car has done it a few times in traffic people shut them off. But, that doesn’t matter, because they are about EPA testing, not for you the consumer.

The EPA’s proposal would not ban start-stop systems but would eliminate the incentives that reward automakers for including them.

But, again, that would only end the federal incentives: you’d still have the state mandates. So, would manufacturers still install auto engine idle to avoid the fines/fees? Or, would those states drop the mandates? Because, yeah, there may be some “advocates”, as the article says, but, I bet they hate driving cars with auto engine idle as well.

Read: EPA Looks To Get Auto-Engine Idle Feature Out Of Vehicles »

GOP Looks To Annihilate Biden’s Climate Scam Incentives

But, can they actually get this out of the Senate?

House GOP looks to gut Biden’s climate incentives in megabill proposal

House Republicans are proposing a significant rollback of Democrats’ clean energy tax credits— a key step toward fulfilling President Donald Trump’s pledge to eviscerate President Joe Biden’s landmark climate change programs.

The tax-writing Ways and Means Committee is moving to repeal key subsidies for electric vehicles and phase out many other clean energy tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act — derided by Trump as the “Green New Scam” — as part of its highly anticipated portion of the GOP’s megabill.

The tax incentives made up the core of the IRA’s clean energy stimulus, and were estimated to cost about $370 billion by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation over the decade until they expired in 2032, though other analyses predicted their costs would exceed $1 trillion. The incentives have sparked hundreds of billions in private sector investment in clean energy since the law was enacted.

As part of the Ways and Means Committee’s contributions to the party-line package intended to enact broad swaths of Trump’s domestic agenda, GOP leaders are seeking to satisfy conservative hardliners who want to eliminate all the energy incentives under the climate law to pay for trillions of dollars in tax cuts. But they are also looking to keep the support of moderates who fear scrapping these credits will jeopardize the jobs associated with manufacturing and power generation projects in their red states and districts.

The proposal would preserve some IRA tax credits, including the advanced manufacturing production tax credit, known as 45X — though wind energy components would no longer be eligible after 2027. It would, as well, maintain credits supporting carbon capture, while extending subsidies benefiting biofuels that are backed by the fossil fuel and agriculture industries — which a group of House Republicans successfully defended in 2023.

I’ll be honest, just keep the EV rebates. It’s hurting anything, and, come on, this costs nothing. It just means less inflow of tax money. And, really, it’s not all that much. Is it worth the fight to ditch them? Not really. It also doesn’t hurt to keep tax credits for solar and wind. Hell, let’s extend it to hydro! Carbon capture can go. The biofuels garbage needed to be cut decades ago.

There really is nothing wrong with intentivizing clean energy. Forcing it on citizens is something completely different. If the GOP tries this it will never make it past the Senate. Democrats, and a few squishy Republicans, will block it. Pick your fight.

Read: GOP Looks To Annihilate Biden’s Climate Scam Incentives »

Hmm: DHS Investigating If PRC Gave Illegals Social Security

I wonder, though, if DHS finds out that the People’s Republik Of California did give illegal/non-citizens Social Security benefits who gets punished?

DHS investigating if migrants received Social Security in California

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a California state-funded program that assists disabled migrant residents, alleging it provided Supplemental Security Income benefits to immigrants who entered the United States illegally and whom federal officials say were not entitled to receive financial assistance.

DHS sent a subpoena to the State of California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants’ Los Angeles field office, ordering that it hand over records relating to SSI payments made to migrants since 2021. The agency said that under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, it will not allow U.S. taxpayer dollars to be “squandered” on migrants.

A DHS news release did not specify how much financial assistance was provided to immigrants who benefited from CAPI between 2021 and the current time.

“Radical left politicians in California prioritize illegal aliens over our own citizens, including by giving illegal aliens access to cash benefits,” Noem said in a statement issued by DHS. “The Trump Administration is working together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally.

“If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over. While this subpoena focuses only on Los Angeles County – it is just the beginning.”

A 1996 federal law bars non-citizens from receiving SS benefits. Reportedly, 2 million improperly receive SS in 2024. So, if DHS finds out that they were given SS, who in government goes to jail for violating federal law? Because if no one gets in trouble than other liberals in government will feel empowered to do the same thing.

Read: Hmm: DHS Investigating If PRC Gave Illegals Social Security »

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